English : Juniper berry
Urdu : Abhal/Hauber
Telugu : Vatubuda-thermu
Description :
It is a dense shrub, rarely a small tree, growing chief on chalky downs in temperate Europe,Asia and North America.
It has raddish brown bark, peeling of in papery shreds, sharply pointed leaves, convex on back, concave and bluish white on the upper surface and axillary flowers.
The fruit is sub-spherical,berry-like, from about 0.5-1 cm in diameter,bluish-black and fleshy containing 1-3 seeds.
Action and uses: Juniper berry and its oil are aromatic, craminative, stomachic, mild astringent, attenuant and deobstruent. They are also good diuretic and emmenogogue.
They are used beneficially in flatulence, colic and chronic diarrhoea, chronic bronchitis, and bronchial asthma. They are specifically useful in different forms of dropsies, amenorrhoea and dysmeorrhea. It is included in the formulations, used for the treatment of facial paralysis, hemiplegia, neurasthesia and rheumatism.
Oil is used externally as sedative and resolvent in rheumatic pains.
Ibn Sina’s view: It is a strong resolvent, desiccant, irritant and latently, astrignent. Its powder mixed with honey is useful in corroding and septic ulcers. Its drink is abortifacient.